EDC - The Murray-Calloway County
Economic Developemnt Corporation
Creating an Economy with a Promising Future

Beginning about the year 2000, the national economy began a general decline. The decline was pronounced in the manufacturing sector, with a staggering number of manufacturing jobs losses. In 2001, the effects hit home in Murray with the announcement that Mattel was closing both its manufacturing plant and distribution center in Calloway County. Rather than accept this loss as permanent, Murray and Calloway County leadership took aggressive action to find solutions. The Murray-Calloway EDC has been a partner in that success with the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations, helping to make our community a shining star of success and growth.

"I try to look at Murray and Calloway County in the same fashion a new industry would," says Mark Manning, Economic Development Executive Director. "When looking at all of the various factors that can help companies stay competitive, I know that Murray is an undiscovered treasure."

Of course, there were significant barriers to success. In addition to a very slow national and regional economy (over 3 million manufacturing jobs were lost nationally) we were faced with a very large facility and few potential clients. Rather than accept defeat, Murray and Calloway County took the offensive and, with good reason, recognized that the community did not have to accept anything less than success. In particular, our community assets showed:

1. An excellent existing industry base, including leaders in several fields

2. A strong work ethic that could be demonstrated factually through high productivity and low turnover

3. A nationally recognized University in Murray State

4. Excellent infrastructure and very cooperative City and County governments

5. Outstanding public education

6. An enviable quality of life featuring low crime, good recreation and a low cost of living

7. A very strong base of private leadership

8. Strong and cooperative financial institutions

Once this inventory of strengths and weaknesses was in place, local leadership reacted by making industrial recruitment a very high priority. The EDC Board determined that a full-time industrial recruiter should be hired, and all available resources were dedicated to finding new and better employment for the 1,200 Mattel employees who were losing their jobs.

Reversing the trend of job losses began slowly, but it did begin. Rudolph announced a new 90,000-square-foot distribution facility that would eventually lead to the creation of 10 jobs.

In June 2002, the community was selected by the Pella Corporation, and local economic conditions began to improve dramatically. The project was slated to create 550 new jobs with an investment of $50 million. Shortly after the initial announcement, Pella decided to locate a second facility in the former Mattel facility for the production of vinyl windows. Already, Pella has exceeded their initial employment goals, and the future looks brighter that ever. Murray is actually the national headquarters for the Pella Advanced Materials Division and as a result has a significant presence not only in manufacturing, but also in sales and research.

In addition to this fine new industry, Murray has been successful in the expansion of Briggs & Stratton, Pulmadose, and other existing industry. Expansions are often a better indicator of a community's business climate than new locations, and in this respect the County is doing very well.

Lastly, in April 2004 Webasto (the largest manufacturer of automotive sunroof systems in the world) announced that Murray had been chosen for a new, highly technical stamping plant. The project will create 150 new jobs and bring long-term stability to our current rail provider.

The culmination of this activity is the fact that, barring unforeseen circumstances, the community has essentially replaced the manufacturing jobs lost due to the closure of Mattel. The gratifying part of this accomplishment is that this was done in an environment of manufacturing decline. "Murray and Calloway County can compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime in regards to quality of life and community," states Manning.

In addition to recruiting and expansion activity, it is extremely important to work with existing industry to recognize potential problem areas before they become critical. As a result, the EDC meets regularly with local CEOs to better understand their issues. The EDC also partners with entities like Murray Electric to help ensure competition in high-speed telecommunications and other areas.

While the EDC is certainly gratified to be a part of this success, it would be both arrogant and wrong to say that the EDC is wholly responsible for all of the positive things that have taken place in Murray. The simple truth is that the entire community makes each good project possible. It would be impossible to name each and every person or organization that has contributed to our growth as a community. The credit extends literally to everyone, from elected officials, to school principals, to the hotel night clerk who went out of his or her way to make our guests feel extra special. With continuing help, the EDC commits to try and do its part to make sure that every person in Calloway County has the opportunity to have a good job at a good wage. Manning concludes, "I honestly believe that Murray, Kentucky, is a rare commodity, and our greatest challenges are to get our name in the marketplace as well as to work to maintain all of the good things that we have. If we focus on that, we will continue to be a place people want to work, live and call home."

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